One thing I have come to realize, (and many of us realize too,) as a parent, it’s not about me…It’s about them.

Mostly because they didn’t have a choice in coming into this world as our children, we did that. We made that happen and we needed to take responsibility for them.

As babies, as toddlers, young children going out on their own to school for the first time and then as they age and learn to make their own choices.

Years and years before they leave for college they have to learn the difference between right and wrong, which is actually pretty easy – the harder part is the nebulous “in between”. Not quite cut and dried. How to make a tough call sometimes.

• Say no to someone who needs help – but – who might hurt you, physically or emotionally.
• Say yes to helping some one who is being bullied – and – no to the one who is doing the bullying.
• Staying up late to study for that important test – or – getting a good night’s sleep to be focused and able to think critically.
• Eating salad and other raw veggies more often – instead of – french fries and a cheese steak (cheese burger/cheese platter/grilled cheese).
• Saving the money for a rainy day – instead of giving in to Buy Me – a new TV, car, pair of shoes that are calling.
• Studying to learn and be the best that we can be – living up to our fullest potential – not  being mediocre, just getting by as an average citizen in the world because that can be done without effort – being the special, unique person you are meant to be.
• Saying thank you when someone helps with something we’d really wanted to do on our own – to prove to someone (maybe ourselves) that we could do it.
• Asking for help, when needed.
• Going out with friends – not every night – nor every weekend…but often enough to be a part of something. Creating community. Making true friends who can depend on you, too.
• Letting them go so they can be more – not – keeping them close to us for our own gratification.

It isn’t just one person in the world, the center of attention and the center of the universe – the old Ptolemaic Theory.

We learned that years ago and were reminded of the sun and what it would be like without it for just about 2.5 minutes yesterday…when the temperature dropped and the light faded to black.

We are all much bigger than just a single being. We know, deep down, that it isn’t about me and is, instead about everyone else around us who make our lives better.  The people who make our lives better when we are able to help them succeed from just one little thing we have done for them.  Or, maybe a million things we have done for them…so that now, they can do them for themselves and maybe someone else someday, too.

~ Dawn aka Hat Girl